AS thousands of students cram in last-minute revision before their exams , experts say a healthy lifestyle could be a recipe for cleverness.

Simple changes to the daily routine could boost brain power and be of more long-term benefit than 11th-hour cramming.

The secrets to maximising the potential of our little grey cells lies in nurturing the brain through easy-to-make lifestyle changes.

The New Scientist magazine, which has an 11-point list of brain-improving techniques, states that changes to diet and behaviour can "help you flex your grey matter and get the best out of your brain cells".

Much of the advice will also be music to the ears of government and health professionals concerned about rising obesity levels and our general unwillingness to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

The starting point for a new, cleverer you, is breakfast.

The New Scientist says that those children who opt for boxed sugary cereals have the attention spans of "70-year-olds".

Instead toast, which is packed with slow-release carbohydrates, is a better choice, and when topped with baked beans, is a breakfast fit for a genius - beans are rich in fibre and high-fibre diets have been linked to improved cognition.

Those who can't face beans first thing, should use Marmite.

The smart choice for lunch is an omelette and salad, as eggs are rich in a substance that the body uses to produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine - low levels of acetylcholine are associated with Alzheimer's disease, and some studies have suggested boosting dietary intake may slow age-related memory loss.

Psychologist Frances Rauscher, based at the University of Wisconsin, found, a decade ago, that listening to Mozart improved people's mathematical reasoning.

It is now thought that music lessons from a young age can boost IQ - a study of six-year-olds learning to play an instrument found their IQ levels rose by two to three points, compared to those who had no extra tuition or took drama lessons.

A third ingredient to better brain power is said to be exercise. But being an armchair football fan is not enough. US writer Erma Bombeck claimed, "Anyone who watches three games of football in a row should be declared brain dead." Instead experts believe that physical activity, including walking for half an hour, can improve learning, concentration and abstract reasoning, especially among the young and elderly.

School children who exercise several times a week gain higher than average grades at the age of 10, especially boys.

Angela Balding, of Exeter University believes that aerobic exercise boosts mental powers by sending oxygen to the brain.

Another crucial factor in improving brain power is sleep and relaxation. Sean Drummond, of the University of California claims that people who have been awake for 21 hours have the abilities of someone who is legally drunk.

When we are asleep the brain is able to process new memories, practise and hone new skills. It is also thought that sleep can help solve problems that have been puzzling the brain all day.

People who have an extra hour or two of sleep perform much better on tasks requiring sustained concentration, such as exams.

Parent Mark Tattersall, a university lecturer from Penarth, whose son Joe is sitting his GCSE exams, said, "I love football and baked beans but my son doesn't and he's far cleverer than me."

Eleven easy steps to being a brainbox

1. Smart drugs - known as cognitive enhancement drugs, some of these are used to treat narcolepsy but can also keep a person awake and alert for 90 hours straight with none of the jitteriness and bad concentration that amphetamines and coffee are associated with.

2. Food

3. Music - learning to play an instrument, rather than just plugging the iPod in.

4. Bionic brains - including electronic devices which are plugged into the brain.

5. Mental problem solving

6. Memory exercises - using strategies to learn long lists of data, increases activity in three brain regions

7. Sleep

8. Physical exercise

9. A nun-like life - A study of the older nuns in the convent of the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Minnesota, holds vital clues into how to avoid Alzheimer's disease. The nuns have lived a quite, communal life, they do not smoke or drink and have eaten healthily and in moderation. Studies of some of the oldest nuns' brains, including one who died at 104, revealed no signs of excessive ageing. It is thought that the right amount of the vitamin folate, early verbal ability and activities such as crosswords and knitting have played a contributing part to the remarkable results.

10. Raise your dopamine levels and cut down on distractions

11. Neurofeedback - the technique has grown out of biofeedback therapy in which people were shown a measure of some seemingly uncontrollable aspect of their physiology, such as their heart rate, and were encouraged to try and change it. Neurofeedback is similar and is applied to brain wave activity. In one experiment, researchers linked the speed of a car in a computer game to the size of the alpha brain wave. They then asked volunteers to make the car go faster using only their minds. Many managed to do so, and seemed to become more alert and focused as a result.

As revealed by New Scientist magazine.

Breakfast, exercise, and music can improve the grey matter

7.30am - Breakfast

Studies show skipping the first meal of the day reduces concentration levels and performance.

Best brainy breakfast foods include beans on toast or Marmite on toast

11am - Mid-morning break

Research has show that drinking water, not only improves concentration levels by as much as nine times, but also aids alertness and energy levels

1pm - Challenge yourself with a lunchtime crossword.

Puzzles, like crosswords, support the old adage, "Use it or lose it"

4pm - Practise a musical instrument

Six-year-old children who were given music lessons instead of drama lessons or no extra tuition, improved their IQ by two to three points

6pm - Exercise

As well as being an important ingredient for a healthy lifestyle, exercise, such as walking for half an hour three times a week, can improve learning, concentration and abstract reasoning, especially among the children and elderly.

10pm - Listen to a bedtime story before getting an early night with plenty of sleep

Knowing how to relax and getting enough sleep can have marked benefits on people's abilities. Sleep not only refreshes the brain but it is also an opportunity to process new memories and home new skills.